NewBrewB

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I don't understand this. Does the PID have a feature that controls the buzzer and just knows it should "buzz" when the target temp is reached? (Does it keep buzzing until you "un-mash" the button? What does the "buzzer" button do? Does it just make the connection so that feature of the PID will work?

(ie: If you don't "Mash" the buzzer button, everything still heats up but when it reaches the target temp, all you hear is basement crickets?)

....and while I'm at it... what about the contactors? I see 2 in your wiring diagram and that you said you "wish you ordered 120v" for the one that is listed as 240v... Did you have to replace it? Looks like they are the same price...

One more thing -- If I don't use a pump, can I cut out the 10A/120v lower section (fuses, power button, etc) from the diagram and just use the top 2/3 of it?

voltin

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The alarm relay on the Auber PIDs remains open for as long as the alarm condition persists. In the case of a high temperature alarm, once the high temperature is met the relay will stay open until the temperature is below that alarm. For example lets say I have a high temperature alarm set to go off when my water reaches 165*F. Once the temperature hits 165*F the alarm relay will close and the alarm buzzer will go off. It will continue to go off until the water temperature is 164* or lower.

This is what the alarm button is there for. The alarm button is pressed to close the circuit between the buzzer and the PID, so that when the alarm relay closes the buzzer will go off. When the alarm goes off, I can tend to whatever step comes next (in the example above, add the grain), and disable the annoying alarm buzzer. The button is the only way to disable the alarm, as the PID has no way turning it off without resetting the alarm temperature.

Well in my case they would be apartment kitchen crickets....but ya.

Think of the contactors as big light switches, however instead of your finger flicking the toggle switch an electromagnet flicks it when a current is run through it. In this case this current is caused by a circuit being completed when the little illuminated button is pressed. The reason why contactors are employed is because the panel as a whole pulls around 30 Amps. This is WAY too much current to run through one switch. The contactors, on the other hand, are built to handle this large amount of current.

Honestly, because we are already running 240V service to the panel and the Auber switches are rated for 240V it doesn't matter which coil voltage we use for the contactors. In the case of the 240V coil contactor both hot legs are used instead of a hot and neutral for the 120V coil contactor. If we did not have 240V service or the switches weren't rated for 240V the contactor would have had to been replaced. The 240V coil contactors might be more expensive, but my guess would be probably not by much. In this case I just modified the original design.

EDIT:
That wouldn't be a problem.

voltin

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So after getting back from spending time with the family over the holidays, I was finally able to make some progress on this project. Before the break I drilled out the hole in the single-gang electrical box and cover and JB-weleded them together. Also before I left home, I ran an electrical test on my panel and found that my buzzer was defective. It would only buzz if I tapped it. Auber Instruments was very responsive and replaced it ASAP. Today I wired up the element, and mounted to to the kettle through the element box (a la Kal) and replaced the buzzer.

I also ran a water test today, and auto-tuned the PID. Everything worked well and according to plan. Tomorrow I brew for the first time on the new rig. I will be sure to get some pics of tomorrow brew session.

voltin

Recipes 

So started today around noon today. Got all the equipment set up and the water in pot. Not sure exactly how long it took to get to strike temperature of 163*, but I am thinking it was about 10 minutes. Mash in without a problem and I am currently mashing.

So far though, I have found that I am probably going to need to get the pump soon rather than later. There seems to be a fair amount of striation in the kettle, and I made sure I stirred the strike water furiously before mashing to even it out. When this happened it dropped about 5-8*. The mash temperature is also fluctuating. I noticed my mash temperature was a little low so I turned the element back on and it quickly jumped up 4*.

__________________
My eBIAB Build | Texas Blues and Brews Festival

On Deck: Cotton Blossom Traditional Mead, Edwort's Apfelwine, Rice Wine
Primary: Rye Kentucky Common Berliner Weisse, Koko Brown Ale
Secondary: Peach Wine
Kegged: Nothing
On Tap: Irish Red Ale, Scottish 80/-

voltin

Recipes 

Well today's brew day ended in an epic fail. The equipment worked perfectly. I had a few overshoots, but I hit my numbers almost spot on. The fail part was my use of whole hops. This is the first time I have ever used whole hops, and I did not have a hop spider or a hops bag that was large enough. So, I just tossed them in.......VERY bad idea. The whole hops clogged EVERYTHING up. The ball valve on the kettle, the tubing to my CFC, my stainless steel racking cane (that I was using as a back up). In the end I decided to stick my washed and sanitized grain bag into the fermeter and dump the wort into the bucket. I am in the process of cooling it in my keezer.

In hindsight, using the grain bag and steamer basket as a hops spider would have solved all my problems. I will probably do that in the future. Ohh well at least I made (possibly...probably infected) beer.

Here are the promised pics:

__________________
My eBIAB Build | Texas Blues and Brews Festival

On Deck: Cotton Blossom Traditional Mead, Edwort's Apfelwine, Rice Wine
Primary: Rye Kentucky Common Berliner Weisse, Koko Brown Ale
Secondary: Peach Wine
Kegged: Nothing
On Tap: Irish Red Ale, Scottish 80/-

Fly_Rodder

Recipes 

I am trying to decide on how I wanted to filter hops, either with a spider/bag or the hop-blocker that Kal sells.

Otherwise, nice system!

rollinred

Recipes 

Interested in pictures of your element mounting.

I almost have my wiring done in the panel but am still mulling over the element mounting.

Nice looking build!

voltin

Recipes 

The element is mounted almost exactly like Kal's. The only differences are that I do not have a washer or o-ring between the kettle and electrical box (didn't have the room), and I used a single gang (rather than a double) weather-proof electrical box. I still need to silicone the inside of the box, I just wanted to make sure everything worked properly first.

__________________
My eBIAB Build | Texas Blues and Brews Festival

On Deck: Cotton Blossom Traditional Mead, Edwort's Apfelwine, Rice Wine
Primary: Rye Kentucky Common Berliner Weisse, Koko Brown Ale
Secondary: Peach Wine
Kegged: Nothing
On Tap: Irish Red Ale, Scottish 80/-

voltin

Recipes 

While I was picking up my ingredients from my LHBS I also picked up a Sure Screen filter. However, when I got home I found that it did not fit the side pickup tube that I purchased from Bargin Fitting. Even then I am not sure the sure screen would have saved me. The whole hops clogged up everything, including the the little filter cap on attached on my stainless steel racking cane. The more I think about it the more I like the grain bag and steamer basket hop spider idea.

__________________
My eBIAB Build | Texas Blues and Brews Festival

On Deck: Cotton Blossom Traditional Mead, Edwort's Apfelwine, Rice Wine
Primary: Rye Kentucky Common Berliner Weisse, Koko Brown Ale
Secondary: Peach Wine
Kegged: Nothing
On Tap: Irish Red Ale, Scottish 80/-

brewhokie

Recipes 

I'm confused how is the element sealed without the O-ring? Did you silcone or jb Weld up the crap of joint? Also did your element have short threads, and thus could not accommodate the oring and washer?